Gerschon

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the Old Testament, Gershon is the firstborn son of Levi and ancestor of the Gershonites.

etymology

The origin of the personal name גֵּרְשׁוֹן geršôn , German 'Gerschon' has not been clarified. Martin Noth derives the names Gerschon and Gerschom from the Arabic word ǧarasun "Schelle / Klinge". The name should be understood as a picture of the parents' joy in the child. Hans Rechenmacher does not agree with this interpretation.

In the Aramaic Levi Document , the name is interpreted in terms of folk etymology and is derived from the word גֵּר ger “foreign”. This is related to foreignness in the country. The derivation of גְּרוּשִׁים gərûschîm "excluded" is also discussed .

The name is also attested in extra-Biblical terms , such as Punic יגר Zuordnung JGRŠ (assignment uncertain), Egyptian-Aramaic גרשא GRŠ ' and Nabatean גרשו GRŠW and אלגרשו ' LGRŠW .

The Septuagint gives the name as Γηρσων gērsōn (only in Gen 46,11  LXX ) and Γεδσων , the Vulgate as Gerson , the Samaritan Pentateuch as Giršon .

Biblical narration

Gerschon

In several places Gerschon is named as Levi's first-born son (e.g. Gen 46.11  EU and Ex 6.16  EU ). His brothers are called Kehat and Merari , his sister Jochebed ( Num 26.59  EU ). According to Ex 6.17  EU, the sons of Gershon are Libni and Shimei . According to Num. 3.21  EU, Gershon is the progenitor of the Gershonites, the Libnites and the Shimites descend from his sons.

Gershonites

As Levites, the Gershonites service have the tabernacle to perform. According to Num 3, 25-26  EU , their duties included: “Care for the dwelling and the tent, for its ceiling and the curtain at the entrance of the tent of revelation, for the hangings of the courtyard, for the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, the one around it Dwelling and the altar surrounds, and for the tent ropes. ”According to Num. 3.22  EU the number of male Gershonites is 7500. According to Num. 7.7  EU , the Gershonites receive two wagons from the offerings of the tribal leaders for the inauguration of the tent of revelation and four cattle.

In the land of Canaan , the Levites do not receive their own land. Instead, they are assigned cities to live in. According to Jos 21: 27–33  EU, the Gershonites received four cities from the tribe of Issachar (Kishjon, Daberat, Jarmut, En-Gannim), four cities from the tribe of Ascher (Mishal, Abdon, Helkat, Rehob), three cities from the tribe of Naftali (the Asylum city ​​of Kedesch in Galilee, Hammot-Dor, Kartan) and two cities from the Manasseh tribe (the asylum city of Golan in Bashan , Ashtarot).

literature